Florence is a magical place to spend the holidays any year, but this year in particular, thanks to the "Winter in Florence" (Inverno a Firenze) initiative, there are dozens of concerts, activities and celebrations, many of them free, to get everyone in the holiday spirit.
There's nothing like a great Christmas market (mercato di natale) and Florence has one of Italy's best (Rome's ) Piazza Navona) is another good one) in ) Piazza Santa Croce.) Forty-nine exhibitors from 13 European countries are selling their wares: Christmas decorations from Germany, reindeer furs from Finland, traditional sweets from Austria, China-bone from England, dolls and glass from Hungary and amber from Poland.
What's Christmas without a tree of course? The city's giant tree and its 16,000 lights are lit 24 hours a day through January 7th and can be found in ) Piazza della Republicca.) The city's temporary outdoor skating ring is at ) Piazza della Liberta.)
Free holiday concerts abound, including a big New Year's Eve show in Piazza Santa Croce. And truly something to look forward to even after the turn of the year -a re-established tradition in Florence - the procession of the wise men on the Epiphany - January 6th.
Here are the details:
Christmas Market (Il Mercato di Natale) in Piazza Santa Croce
November 28 to December 16, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Forty-nine exhibitors from 13 European countries will be selling their wares:
Christmas decorations from Germany, reindeer furs from Finland, typical sweets
from Austria, China-bone from England, dolls and glass from Hungary and amber
from Poland.
Christmas Opera Gala at Church of St. Onofrio il Fuligno
November 23, December 1, December 8, December 27
Concerts at free but you must have tickets. Call (39) 055 218114
Ice Skating in Piazza della Libertà
December 1 to January 13, open daily 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Six euros to rent skates.
Florence's Christmas Tree at Piazza della Republicca
December 7 to January 7
The tree, decorated with 16,000 lights, will be lit 24 hours a day.
Free New Year's Eve Concert in Piazza Santa Croce
December 31, starts at 11 p.m.
Listen to the Orchestra Filarmonica del Teatro Lirico Europeo, made
up of 80 musicians.
Free New Year's Day Concert at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
January 1, 11:30 a.m.
This is the 26th year of the New Year's Day concert presented by the Scuola
di Musica di Fiesole. For more information, call (39) 055 597851 or visit
www.scuolamusica.fiesole.fi.it Procession of the Three Wise Men from Piazza de' Pitti to
Piazza del Duomo
January 6, starts at 2 p.m.
In honor of the Epiphany, this medieval celebration has been reintroduced in
Florence.
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